I am thrilled to announce that this June I will be returning to Germany for a special tour alongside my dear friends and long-time collaborators, JAMARAM.

Germany holds a unique place in my heart. It was the destination of my very first international tour in 2013, an experience that forever changed my understanding of what music can do. As a young Zimbabwean artist, stepping onto stages across Germany was more than an opportunity to perform—it was an invitation into a world of cultural exchange, artistic collaboration, and lifelong friendship.

Looking back, it is remarkable how it all began.

The story traces its roots to the partnership between the Cities of Harare and Munich. For three decades, these two cities have nurtured a twin-city relationship built on mutual respect, cooperation, and people-to-people connections. While city partnerships are often discussed in terms of governance, trade, or development, their impact on arts and culture is equally profound.

In 2012, through the combined efforts of the City of Munich, the German Embassy in Harare, HIFA, and the Goethe-Zentrum Harare, the Munich-based band JAMARAM travelled to Zimbabwe for an intercultural exchange project. What began as festival performances and workshops quickly became something much deeper. Musicians from different continents discovered common rhythms, shared stories, and formed bonds that transcended language, geography, and culture.

The following year, I was honoured to be one of three Zimbabwean musicians invited to join JAMARAM on a tour across Germany. Together, we performed seventeen sold-out concerts in sixteen cities, sharing stages, ideas, and experiences that shaped our artistic journeys in ways we could never have imagined.

What started as a cultural exchange evolved into a genuine friendship. Over the years, that friendship led to further collaborations, recordings, artist residencies, and the creation of new music. It became proof that when artists are given opportunities to connect across borders, the results extend far beyond a single performance or project.

Today, more than a decade later, that story continues.

As Harare and Munich celebrate 30 years of their twin-city partnership, I have been invited back to Germany as part of the anniversary celebrations. Together with JAMARAM, I will perform a series of concerts and public appearances that celebrate not only our shared musical journey, but also the enduring value of cultural diplomacy.

In a world increasingly divided by politics, economics, and social tensions, culture remains one of the most powerful tools for building understanding. Music creates spaces where people can encounter one another not as strangers, but as fellow human beings. It reminds us that while our languages may differ, our hopes, dreams, and creative instincts are often remarkably similar.

This is why partnerships like the one between Harare and Munich matter.

They create opportunities for artists to learn from one another, develop their craft, access new audiences, and participate in conversations that shape the future of our cities. They demonstrate that investment in culture is not a luxury; it is an essential ingredient for vibrant, connected, and resilient communities.

These reflections are also informing my own work back home. Through initiatives such as the Love Your City workshop series, I hope to encourage creatives to reimagine the spaces around them and to see themselves as active contributors to the future of their communities. Our cities are not only collections of buildings and roads; they are living cultural ecosystems. When artists engage with civic life, they help inspire new ideas for public spaces, creative infrastructure, and cultural programming that benefits everyone.

The lessons from Munich’s partnership with Harare offer a powerful reminder that meaningful change often begins with relationships. When people connect, collaborate, and create together, entire communities can be transformed.

As I prepare to board a plane to Germany once again, I am filled with gratitude. Gratitude for HIFA, which helped spark this journey. Gratitude for the City of Munich, whose commitment to cultural exchange has sustained it. Gratitude for JAMARAM, whose friendship and belief in collaboration have endured for more than a decade.

Most of all, I am excited.

Excited to return to the place where my international journey began. Excited to celebrate thirty years of friendship between our cities. Excited to share music, stories, and new memories with audiences old and new.

And excited to be reminded once again that some of the most beautiful things in life begin with a simple exchange between people willing to listen to one another.

Here’s to the next chapter.